Lester Selvage
Lester Revell Selvage (1943–1991) was an American professional basketball player.
A 6'1" guard from Beaumont High School in St. Louis, Missouri, Selvage played college basketball at Kirksville State Teachers College (now Truman State University). He was named to the All-MIAA First Team in 1963.[1] After graduating, he moved to California to work with Douglas Aircraft, but continued to play Amateur Athletic Union basketball on the side. He was discovered and signed by the ABA's Anaheim Amigos in 1967,[2] and appeared in 82 games for the team between 1967 and 1970, averaging 13.5 points per game.[3]
Selvage was known for his eagerness to shoot three-pointers, and led the ABA in three-point field goals made (147) and attempted (461) during the 1966-67 season. Selvage himself attempted more threes that season than any other ABA team except the Pittsburgh Pipers, and once shot 26 three-pointers in a single game, making 10.[4] Former Denver Rockets coach Bob Bass recalled, "He acted like if he stepped over [the three-point line], he was going to get killed or something. He didn't just shoot 25-footers — he took 30-footers. [...] All he could do was shoot, and he shot too much. But when he was hot, he was unlike anything I had ever seen."[2]
Selvage died in 1991 after a brief illness.[5]
References
- ^ Truman State Men's Basketball Media Guide. 2003. Retrieved on September 24, 2008.
- ^ a b Terry Pluto. Loose Balls. New York: Fireside, 1990. 73.
- ^ Template:Basketball-reference. Retrieved on September 24, 2008.
- ^ Terry Pluto. "Out of their league". The Sporting News. January 8, 1996. Retrieved on September 24, 2008.
- ^ "Lester Selvage dies, was ABA, Beaumont star". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. June 11, 1991. Retrieved on September 24, 2008.